How to pimp up your instant ramen (and save money)

Don’t turn your nose up at packet ramen. When you add your own flavours, veg and protein, it becomes something spectacular and amazingly easy to accomplish, says Prudence Wade

You can easily customise this meal to your suit your preferences (Andrew Burton/PA)

There is something so wonderfully comforting about a bowl of ramen noodles, whatever the season,” says chef and TV presenter Shivi Ramoutar, author of Cook Clever.

“This version uses packet ramen – don’t turn your nose up at it; I assure you that with the added flavours, veg and protein, it becomes something spectacular and amazingly easy to accomplish. This is one to elevate to your heart’s content – you really can’t go too OTT with this. Have it slurpy or dry as you like.”

Pimped packet ramen

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For the base:

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 spring onion (white bulb discarded), snipped

1 tsp garlic purée

2 mugs of boiling water

2 packets of ramen noodles (or any other instant noodles)

OR

300g ready cooked noodles and 1 chicken stock cube, crumbled

OR

300g ready cooked noodles and 2 sachets of miso soup mix

For the protein (choose from):

1 mug of frozen, fresh or cooked chicken strips

1 mug of frozen, fresh or cooked seafood

1 mug of frozen or fresh gyoza dumplings

½ block of firm tofu, broken into smaller pieces

For the veg:

250g packet of pak choi, leaves separated

½ mug of frozen vegetables

Toppers (choose as many as you like):

Soft-boiled egg halves

Drizzles of chilli oil

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Fresh coriander sprigs

Fresh chillies

Kimchi

Drizzles of sriracha

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat and cook the spring onion and garlic purée for a couple minutes, stirring often until aromatic.

2. Add the boiling water, along with the dried noodles and their flavour sachets, or the cooked noodles with the crumbled stock cube or the miso soup sachets. Stir together and cook for a minute or two until the liquid is mostly absorbed.

3. Add your chosen protein and the veg and cook until the protein is just cooked through, about five minutes or so. If you are using fresh chicken or seafood it will take less time. If using tofu, add in the last few minutes so it doesn’t disintegrate.

4. Serve into bowls and go crazy with the toppers.

‘Cook Clever: One Chop, No Waste, All Taste’ by Shivi Ramoutar (HarperCollins, £20).